Explosions heard near Isfahan as Iran fires air defense batteries
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired air defense batteries in several provinces after reporting explosions near a major airbase in the city of Isfahan. The country remains on high alert following its recent missile-and-drone attack on Israel. State-run IRNA news agency confirmed the firing of air defense systems but did not provide details on the cause. The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies also reported hearing blasts in the area, with state television acknowledging a “loud noise.”
In a separate incident, a fire in a truck carrying lithium ion batteries led to a three-hour evacuation in Columbus, Ohio. Authorities feared that the batteries could explode and evacuated a several-block area west of downtown. Firefighters worked to contain the blaze, and the evacuation order was lifted after three hours.
Meanwhile, in Missouri, a fiber line was cut by workers installing a light pole, causing a loss of 911 service in Nebraska, Nevada, and South Dakota. The outage created confusion for emergency agencies and raised concerns about the reliability of communication systems.
In a royal update, Britain’s Prince Harry has formally confirmed his residency in the United States, signaling his increasing distance from the British monarchy. The prince and his wife, Meghan, have been living in Southern California for the past four years, focusing on media deals and philanthropic efforts.
In a correction, an article published earlier this week misstated the date of the shutdown of Hamakua Energy in Hawaii. The Tribune-Herald apologizes for the error and any confusion it may have caused.